Man Mountain Mike Explained

Man Mountain Mike
Names:Man Mountain Mike
Height:6 ft 4 in
Weight:600 lb
Birth Name:Gary Michael Fletcher[1]
Birth Date:15 September 1940
Birth Place:Columbia, New Hampshire, U.S.
Death Place:South Berwick, Maine, U.S.
Trainer:The Great Bolo
Debut:1967
Retired:1977

Gary Michael Fletcher (September 15, 1940 – April 30, 1988), best known by his ring name Man Mountain Mike, was an American professional wrestler.

Professional wrestling career

Fletcher was a baseball player and played two years of college baseball at Washington State Teachers College in Maine.[1] He was discovered at a buffet by Al Lovelock, who wrestled as The Great Bolo, and trained Fletcher as a wrestler.[1] Fletcher made his wrestling debut in 1967 for the American Wrestling Association. He wrestled as a tag team with Haystacks Calhoun, who also weighed over 600 pounds; their combined weight was over 1200 pounds in the ring.[2]

Mike was wrestling with Iron Mike DiBiase on July 2, 1969 in Lubbock, Texas, when DiBiase suffered a fatal heart attack in the ring during the match. DiBiase was pronounced dead at the hospital.[3] DiBiase's death was not directly related to professional wrestling; rather, he died as a result of high cholesterol.[4]

Mike later wrestled in British Columbia, where he had a series of matches against Don Leo Jonathan in 1970 and 1971.[5] [6] Mike wrestled for Championship Wrestling from Florida in the early 1970s. He participated in many battles royal, and because of his size, it was difficult for opponents to eliminate him over the top rope. As a result, the promotion billed him as "the acknowledged king of battles royal" and promoted many of these matches as "featuring Man Mountain Mike".[7] On one occasion in 1972, his participation led to a feud with Buddy Colt, as Colt caused Mike to be eliminated from a battle royal.[8] He would also offer $100 to any wrestler who was able to lift him up.[9]

While competing for NWA Hollywood Wrestling, Mike won the NWA Americas Tag Team Championship with tag team partner Butcher Brannigan on August 31, 1974 at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. They dropped the belts on September 14 to Porkchop Cash and Victor Rivera.[10] He also held the NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship twice.[11]

Man Mountain Mike toured Japan as a wrestler in 1975. He had a series of matches against Antonio Inoki, but was unable to defeat Inoki in singles matches or in tag team competitions.[12] He later wrestled for the World Wide Wrestling Federation. He competed in both singles and tag team matches, which included teaming with Crusher Blackwell on February 20, 1976 in a loss to WWWF Tag Team Champions Louis Cerdan and Tony Parisi.[13]

Retirement, death and legacy

After retiring from the ring in 1977, Mike opened a dry cleaning business, as well as a taxi service; he also drove a school bus. He was married to Mary Lee Quinn, and together they had a son, Shawn.

While adjusting his bus seat backwards in 1988, he accidentally cut the back of his leg on the seat track. The cut developed a staph infection, causing blood clots, which were exacerbated by his diabetes. He died on April 30, 1988, aged 47.[14]

The ring name Man Mountain Mike was later used in the Canadian Maritimes by Mike Shaw, who also appeared with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling as Bastion Booger and Norman the Lunatic, respectively.[15]

Championships and accomplishments

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Mann . Jimmy . August 7, 1969 . Man Mountain Mike Makes Molehills Of Opponents . 18 . . June 14, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230614092817/https://books.google.com/books?id=yEtSAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA18&dq=Man+Mountain+Mike&article_id=6939,4309324&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiw1q3ZuML_AhU5ZzABHQjEAFEQ6AF6BAgPEAI . June 14, 2023.
  2. Book: Davies, Ross. 87. Rosen Publishing Group. 2001. Haystacks Calhoun. 0-8239-3435-7.
  3. Book: DiBiase, Ted. Every Man Has His Price: The True Story of Wrestling's Million-Dollar Man. Multnomah Publishers. 1997. 1-57673-175-8. 57.
  4. Web site: Truitt . Brandon . Shoot Interviews: Ted DiBiase . https://web.archive.org/web/20111120111145/http://www.kayfabememories.com/TapeReviews/shootinterviews/teddibiase.htm . November 20, 2011 . April 16, 2009 . KayfabeMemories.com.
  5. News: June 30, 1970 . MAN SLIDE TRAPS DON . 20 . . June 14, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230614103548/https://books.google.com/books?id=7pZlAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA20&dq=Man+Mountain+Mike+Don+Leo+Jonathan&article_id=1002,5580651&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiv4dXYwcL_AhUPRjABHQMUCY0Q6AF6BAgJEAI . June 14, 2023.
  6. News: February 19, 1971 . Big Man Loser in Mat Feature . . June 14, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230614103816/https://books.google.com/books?id=o6dYAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA41&dq=Man+Mountain+Mike+Don+Leo+Jonathan&article_id=2744,1357036&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiv4dXYwcL_AhUPRjABHQMUCY0Q6AF6BAgQEAI . June 14, 2023.
  7. Web site: March 27, 1973 . $9001 Up in Big Battle Royal! . https://web.archive.org/web/20050906042633/http://www.cwfarchives.com/Event.php?id=203 . September 6, 2005 . April 16, 2009 . Championship Wrestling from Florida.
  8. Web site: October 24, 1972 . Brisco, Jones Meet in Tonight's Main Event . https://web.archive.org/web/20050218020008/http://www.cwfarchives.com/Event.php?id=190 . February 18, 2005 . April 16, 2009 . Championship Wrestling from Florida.
  9. News: January 13, 1982 . Wrestler, wife win weight tussle . 19 . . June 14, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230614102503/https://books.google.com/books?id=L6MrAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA19&dq=Man+Mountain+Mike&article_id=5220,2280941&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjXjabTwML_AhXXk2oFHbHNBMc4ChDoAXoECAYQAg . June 14, 2023.
  10. Web site: NWA Americas Tag Team Title . https://web.archive.org/web/20160115044104/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ca/la/hw/ams-t.html . January 15, 2016 . April 16, 2009 . Wrestling-Titles.com.
  11. Web site: Beat the Champ Television Title . https://web.archive.org/web/20150311184559/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ca/s/hw/ams-tv.html . March 11, 2015 . June 14, 2023 . Wrestling-Titles.com.
  12. Web site: Antonio Inoki - Match Results: 1975 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303170517/http://www.puroresudojo.net/personalities/inoki/results/inoki_results1975.html . March 3, 2016 . April 17, 2009 . Puroresu Dojo.
  13. Web site: Ring Results: 1976 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071102224332/http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/76.htm . November 2, 2007 . April 18, 2009 . The History of WWE.
  14. Web site: Man Mountain Mike profile . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080304135638/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/m/man-mountain-mike.html . March 4, 2008 . April 17, 2009 . Online World of Wrestling.
  15. Web site: Oliver . Greg . April 5, 2001 . SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Makhan Singh . https://archive.today/20120715005653/http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBios/shaw_mike.html . July 15, 2012 . April 16, 2009 . SLAM! Wrestling . usurped . Canadian Online Explorer.